Willie Smith on saxophone
William McLeish Smith (Charleston, South Carolina), November 25, 1910 - Los Angeles, March 7, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist and novelist. In addition to Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter, he was one of Swing Age's most important alax saxophonists and worked in the orchestras of Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford and Harry James.
Willie Smith became Altsaxophonist in the band of Jimmie Lunceford in 1929, where he became one of the stars. He sang there from time to time, besides the sax also played clarinet and wrote arrangements. In 1940 he had his own quintet for some time. In 1942 he left the band, played a time with Charlie Spivak and worked for the Navy one year. He became a member of Harry James orchestra, where he got better paid. He stayed here for seven years: in 1951, Ellington knew him and two other band members of James {Louie Bellson and Juan Tizol) to work for him. He replaced Johnny Hodges here. Smith worked shortly at Billy May's orchestra and returned to Harry James in 1954. He occasionally played at the Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts. In 1965 he took his only own record. He also made recordings with Charlie Barnet. Willie Smith died of cancer. Discography
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